December 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

On behalf of the Project Mitten families in Wrentham, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people and organizations for their tremendous kindness and generosity: The Wrentham Elementary School Staff, The Wrentham PTO, The Wrentham Police Department, The Wrentham Lions Club, The Wrentham Holly Club, The Wrentham Cooperative Bank, The Pond Home and The Community at Pond Meadow, The McComb’s family and their neighbors, The Wampum Corner Wine and Liquor Store, The Wrentham Developmental Center EDCO, Michelle Borriello, The Geary Family, and a very special thanks to Mrs. Kerry Richardson and Mrs. Julie Cashman. It is because of these wonderful people and organizations that Project Mitten helped 26 families with 48 children and was a huge success!

There is nothing greater in life than giving to others. You all made a difference in the lives of these families through your generosity and thoughtfulness! I extend to all of you a heartfelt THANK YOU!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

On day the Wrentham Police Department made headlines with its work with the F.B.I., a new D.A.R.E. instructor was announced. Officer Peter Lown graduated from the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) training held December 1-12 at the New Hampshire Fire Academy in Concord, NH. Officer Lown completed the two week, 80 hour certification course to become one of Wrentham’s newest D.A.R.E. instructors. With his graduation Officer Lown, he will join Sergeant Jeffrey Smith and Officer Todd Schwalbe providing the program to the local school district.

D.A.R.E. is a community based, nation wide program which partners police, schools and parents to educate students about the abuse of drugs, violence and the importance of good decision making.

On Wedneday, December 17, the Wrentham Police Department assisted the F.B.I. with an arrest warrant for Barry James Cadden, age 48, a resident of Wrentham. The arrest was based on the federal investigation surrounding the New England Compounding Center. Cadden was taken into custody without incident at his home. He was transported to the Wrentham Police Department and booked after which he was taken into F.B.I. custody and transported to the United States Courthouse in Boston.

Nomination papers for Wrentham's Annual Town Election of April 6, 2015 are now available. See below for the list of positions available, length of term, and incumbent. There are two selectman seats up for grabs as well as the Town Clerk's position. Wrentham's longtime Town Clerk, Carol Mollica is retiring at the end of January.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Although it’s not really Frank Sinatra, singer Neil DeAngelis sounds just like “Ol’ Blue Eyes.” He’s a Frank Sinatra tribute artist who will perform live at The Tavern at Wrentham on Saturday, December 20th, bringing Christmas Hits and other favorites made popular by Sinatra to the stage.

"If you close your eyes, you’ll swear it’s Sinatra singing," says Tavern Owner Doug Smith. DeAngelis explored his musical talents after divorcing six years ago, and has become a popular Sinatra Tribute performer, successfully moonlighting at local venues. DeAngelis wowed Smith and Tavern patrons in November as a finalist in the Tavern’s Karaoke Sing-off.

Joining DeAngelis on December 20th will be Michael Dearing, performing in the style of Michael Bublé. Dearing is another well-loved Karaoke Sing-off finalist.

The two performers will host an entertaining and festive night of music like no other. It will take place in the Tavern at Wrentham’s large function room, complete with private bar and ample seating, beginning at 8PM. There is no cover charge.

Monday, December 15, 2014

The homeless problem in Massachusetts is big. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates there are an approximate 21,237 homeless within the Commonwealth. These are men and women that repeatedly end up on the streets or suffer from periods of long-term homelessness. Wrentham Boy Scout Jimmy Richard wanted to do something to help.

(Pictured left to right: Rob Adam, Jacob Brawley, and Jimmy Richard.)

For his Eagle Scout Project, Richard with help from his family, friends, donors and his Church, The Immanuel Lutheran Church in Attleboro, raised funds and collected blankets for homeless shelters in Attleboro, Mansfield, and Taunton. "I approached the pastor at my Church, Pastor Sandra Demmler-D'Amico, and told her that I wanted my Eagle Scout Project to benefit the homeless in some way," Richard said. "She told me that blankets were vital for homeless people. I began researching ways I could obtain or make blankets."

The project on the surface might sound simple. Go out, collect blankets, and deliver them to the appropriate organizations, but it was far more complicated. The scout, a junior at King Philip Regional High School, needed to raise funds, rally his Boy Scout Troop, family, and church as well as sell the idea to Northwest Woolen Mills, a company in Woonsocket, RI which manufactures wool blankets.

Richard worked tirelessly on fundraisers and says Northwest Woolen Mills was key to the successful completion of the project. “They offered to make the blankets for a very reasonable price due to the purpose of my project," he says. “Due to their generosity, I was able to obtain 120 high-quality-wool blankets for the shelters.”

Once the blankets were collected, Richard worked with his church to hold two blessing services and then delivered them to the shelters. He even recruited a few scouts to help with the deliveries and then work at the shelter. “When we delivered blankets to the shelter in Taunton, [Boy Scouts] Rob Adam, Jacob Brawley and I volunteered to serve lunch to the homeless that day.” Richard says. “It was an experience I will always remember.”

The Wrentham teenager’s eyes have been forever opened to the plight of the homeless he says. He always knew it was a problem but didn’t realize how pervasive it was so close to home. “The most shocking thing I learned while doing this project was the number of homeless in the area,” Richard says. “We really don't see them and we really don't hear about the problem.”

After Richard completed the project, a man approached him at his church to say how important his work was, and how meaningful it would be to people living on the street. “A gentleman at church who had been homeless also told me after the project was completed just how important a simple blanket was. It was actually a homeless person's ‘home.’ This really struck me.”

In addition to the service project, for a Boy Scout to reach the rank of Eagle, he has several other requirements to accomplish including earning 21 merit badges which signify the mastery of scout related skills. A scout must also take on increasingly more responsible service positions and show good leadership skills, including organizing, leading and managing an extensive service project that benefits the community. On a national basis, approximately 6 % of boys entering scouting reach Eagle status.

The road to Eagle Scout started for Richard in second grade and he was able to complete all his requirements by the age of 16. Along the way he attended summer camp, went on campouts with his Troop, and honed his leadership skills.

Christmas Tree Tradition Continues (With a Twist)

Wrentham’s Boy Scout Troop 131 will be collecting Christmas trees on Saturday January 10, and once again requesting a $10 donation. To have your tree picked up put a $10 donation in an envelope, seal the envelope and place it around the bottom of the tree with a rubber band. Make checks payable to "Troop 131" and place the tree on the curb near the street before 8 a.m. For safety reasons, they cannot accept trees with tinsel, flocked trees, trees with nails, artificial trees, wreaths with metal shape wires, or trees with any other metal attached. The $10 donation helps to offset the cost of operating the troop whose programs have assisted our youths in topping 4000-foot peaks, hit the road for 30 mile bike rides on “The Vineyard” and 50 mile hikes through the wilderness. The Boy Scouts provide countless hours of service to the community, and the Troop's Eagle program has provided landscaping for town property inlcuing Fiske Public library, the creation of the 9/11 memorial, built and marked a number of the town's hiking trails-and much more.

Along with the trees the scouts will pick up bikes for Bikes not Bombs on the January 10. Bikes not Bombs, a Boston-based non-profit which collects retired bikes and, primarily, supplies them to overseas missions which are developing micro-economies based on bikes (Ghana), relief workers for medical personnel (Uganda), an operation in Guatemala which then re-engineers the bikes to drive pumps and various machinery which assist their agrarian communities, as well as other operations in Sierra Leone, Nevis. St. Kitts, and San Salvador, as well as Boston-based classes in bicycle programs geared towards youth and women. Discover more about them at www.bikesnotbombs.org.

This is a great opportunity to clean up after Christmas by having the scouts pickup your tree and to pass along a retired bike.

The KP Boys High School Hockey team is also holding a dough raiser fundraiser at Uno on December 17. Download this coupon and bring it to Uno at Wrentham Premium Outlets on the 17th and 20 % of the bill will be donated to King Philip Boys Varsity and JV Hockey.